Mobile County's national Special Olympians include players for baseball's debut

Reginald Glaude, Ethan Newberry and Tyler Smith are part of an eight-athlete Mobile County contingent that will join 123 other competitors representing Alabama at the Special Olympics 2014 USA Games.

The 2014 Games start on Sunday in New Jersey.

The state athletes will be going for the gold in basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, flag football, golf, powerlifting, softball, tennis, track and field and swimming. But Glaude, Newberry and Smith aren't involved in any of those sports. They're part of the first state baseball team now that the sport has joined the Special Olympics lineup for the 2014 Games.

"It's special, and we want to win the first gold for our baseball team," Newberry said.

Other members of the Mobile County group going to the Special Olympics are Dramico Bailey in track and field, Savannah Eubanks and Treandreas Rogers in golf skills and Katherine Cobb and Anthony Pugh in bocce.

The 16 players on the state baseball team got together for the first time last month at the State Games in Troy. Arnie Burrus of Montgomery is the team's head coach.

"It was a good experience, being out there with the team and getting to know one another," Smith said. "It was exciting."

Newberry is a heavy-hitting first baseman.

"I like the teamwork and the connection of our baseball team and our teammates," he said. "And I can hit pretty good, too."

Glaude also said he likes the camaraderie involved in baseball.

"We play as a family, we play as a team," he said. "We've got each other's backs. I also like hitting the ball and playing outfield."

Meeting the other players on the state team last month was fun, Glaude said, but he's glad to be going to the national games with familiar faces, too.

"It's good to make new friends," Glaude said. "It's nice to have my buddies Tyler, Ethan and Dramico going. They're all fun. I love them as a family. I wish I could have them all at my house."

Bailey enjoys throwing the baseball around with the three Special Olympics team members, but he's going to the games to compete in an unusual combination of track and field events -- the 100-meter dash and the shot put.

"Last year was my first year," Bailey said. "I had to work - a lot of practice."

By participating in Davidson High School football practices as a defensive lineman this spring, Bailey lost around 10 pounds and improved his 100-meter time by about 5.5 seconds.

"I want to bring gold back," Bailey said.

Like Bailey, some of the Mobile County competitors are still students. Glaude and Eubanks attend Theodore. Pugh goes to Murphy.

Baldwin County also has eight athletes going to the national games. They are track and field athlete Jenna MacDonald of Daphne, cyclist Tammy Jo Thompson of Bay Minette and powerlifters Michael Cline, David Hall, Tamera Ranger, Kelby Sanders, Martha Smith and Bea Smith of the Loxley-based ARC of Baldwin County team.

Washington County is sending three athletes - Tawanna Jones and Latisha Lucious in bocce and Sheldon Morris in powerlifting.

The Special Olympics 2014 USA Games will feature about 3,500 athletes competing in 16 sports at 11 venues in New Jersey. The opening ceremonies for the 2014 Games will be held on Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Competition is scheduled Monday through Friday. The closing ceremonies are set for June 20 at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, N.J.

In addition to the competition, the 2014 Games will feature several off-the-field activities for the competitors, such as Special Olympics Town and a cruise around the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.

In addition to the athletes, Coastal Alabama also has several coaches and administrators making the trip, including Paul Bishop of ARC of Baldwin County, who is head of the state delegation. Also going are golf coach Rene McElroy, bocce coach Shane Stewart and baseball coach Sheryl Thomas of Mobile County, assistant Candace Davis and powerlifting coach Austin Young of Baldwin County, golf coach Weater Caten of Washington County and tennis coach Alfred Donald of Clarke County.